Thesis (M.B.A.)--Carleton University, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 99-106). Also available in electronic format on the Internet.

Thesis (MIT(Informatics))-Universiteit van Pretoria, 2008. / Abstract in English. Includes bibliographical references.

The research focused on dissatisfaction with explanations of Information Technology (IT) value. IT’s business potential and the high levels of IT investment have put IT under the management spotlight. Management typically asks: “What is the contribution of our IT investments to improving our corporate strategy and business leverage?” or “How can we monitor the progress and performance of investments, in order to identify improvement actions?” Managers are, however, dissatisfied with explanations of IT value, because attempts to demonstrate the link between IT investments and business performance have produced mixed results. The research objective required the development of a framework as a step towards understanding dissatisfaction with IT value. Three case studies were used that resulted in a concluding theory consisting of a framework, a set of hypotheses describing the relationships between the elements of the framework and a pattern of conditions under which there is dissatisfaction with explanations of IT value. The theory clarifies dissatisfaction with explanations of IT value: IT is on management’s agenda due to its track record; high spending on IT; the need to exploit IT and dissatisfaction with available explanations of IT value. An outcome of this is a concern about IT’s value. Management’s concern is conditioned by factors such as their levels of comfort with IT; the business/IT relationship and management’s mindset about IT as a business resource. The concern becomes a need to control IT which requires an effective IT evaluation process in turn. Steps to ensure an effective IT evaluation process need to address the availability of alternative IT evaluation methods; the mindset about IT evaluation; flaws in IT evaluation methods; problems with defining IT value as well as IT benefits and costs complications. As a result, explanations of IT value may not be satisfactory. IT will then remain on the management agenda and management will continue to be concerned about IT value. The theory indicates two broad strategies to overcome or avoid dissatisfaction with explanations of IT value. The first strategy is to fully understand the reasons for management’s concern about IT value as well as to recognize those conditions that could influence concerns about the value of IT. The second strategy is to ensure an effective IT evaluation process by specifically addressing those factors or conditions that could impact on the effectiveness of the IT evaluation process. / Thesis (DCom (Informatics))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Informatics / unrestricted

M.A. (Business Management) / Small businesses thrive in the developing economy of South Africa and address the important issue of unemployment and poverty that exist in the country. A large number of these business organisations can be found in the province of Gauteng because of the large and diverse economic contribution the province delivers to the economy of South Africa. With the increased use of technology in the small businesses of Gauteng and South Africa, the risks around cyber-security, information security and other IT-related threats that can harm the businesses increase. As part of the related IT risks comes the information security awareness of the businesses. Research findings show that little to no information security awareness exists in the small IT-dependent business organisations of Gauteng, South Africa. New knowledge has been gained from the information technology uses and information security awareness that exists in small business organisations. This knowledge is specific to the small business organisations of South Africa which places an African context to a global debate of information security awareness.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2007. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 95-115).

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Waikato, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 288-323)

This study aims to investigate the naturalistic decision-making role of business intelligence (BI) in the oil and gas (O&G) industry. O&G organisations spend a lot of time, effort and resources in maximising their operations to gain a competitive advantage. With the introduction of technological solutions, BI provides organisations with the ability to collect, sort, analyse and transform data into timely intelligence. However, the industry is characteristically competitive, difficult to predict and continuously changing with decision-makers sometimes faced with naturalistic decisions necessitating quick decisions under pressure, strict timeframes and with incomplete data. Literature on the role BI in the O&G industry has been minimal, with the focus being on how BI is used to assist rational decision-making. This study relies on data collected from two O&G organisations operating in different streams of the industry. Using a dynamic model of situated cognition, this study employs an interpretive, qualitative approach to data analysis in an attempt to fill the gap in the literature and determine whether BI plays any role in facilitating the decision-making process in response to naturalistic decisions. A dynamic model of situated cognition has been employed because of its strong correlation with naturalistic decision-making (NDM). The findings of this study indicate that different naturalistic decisions exist in the two streams of the industry and these decisions vary in their levels of complexity and domains. Furthermore, the findings show that while BI plays a major role NDM, this role is mitigated by the cognitive capabilities of individual decision-makers and their areas of expertise.

Business-Information Technology (IT) convergence is increasingly becoming a source of competitive advantage in the global economy and its importance has been widely discussed and documented in recent years. The management question that remains unanswered is: what are critical success factors for business-IT convergence in the South African banking sector?This report seeks to explore critical success factors for business-IT convergence in the South African banking sector via a quantitative data analysis approach which aims to incorporate leading theories and frameworks on business-IT governance. In analysing the critical success factors for business-IT convergence, it attempts to provide the South African banking sector with recommendations that should be considered within the framework of a generic business-technology maturity model. Furthermore challenges to the value of business-IT convergence research, divergent views and new perspectives on business-IT convergence are presented.In the research, the motivation for business-IT convergence research is first discussed. Next, business-IT convergence is defined and key dimensions and levels of the business-IT convergence construct are presented. Lastly a review of factor models of business-IT convergence is presented and outcomes of assessment within the four banking clusters are presented.The goal is to be inclusive of many different perspectives. It is hoped that the research will spark helpful conversation on the merits of continued investigation of business-IT convergence. In closing, reflections on the business-IT convergence research stream are provided and key implications for research and practice are provided. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

Thesis (M.B.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 1997. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2007. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The effort and costs to achieve alignment between Business and IT have plagued executives for more than 15 years. More recently, from 2005 and 2006, Gartner EXP CIO survey reported that the top 3 management priorities of CIOs have shifted from security breaches and Business disruption to: • Linking Business and IT strategies • Building Business skills in the IT organization • Delivering Business growth Gartner's EXP survey also reported on organizations top 3 barriers to alignment and growth as being: • The Business not knowing what it wants • Business professionals not collaborating with IT • Business leaders trying to circumvent Business problems by using technology. Other studies have expanded Gartner's list of 3 barriers, adding: • Ineffective communication • Lack of understanding the other's perspective • Untimely or lack of involvement To improve the relationship between Business and IT, organisations continue to strategise and researchers continue to write prolifically about alignment and bridging the gap. Much of the literature regarding alignment focuses on becoming better at hardware, information systems, and infrastructure, or emphasizing Business improvement. It is unlikely that this elusive goal will be achieved in an exclusive silo mentality by either IT or Business in isolation of each other. An alternative approach of the gap is a resolution from both ends - for Business to become more 'IT friendly' and for IT to become more 'Business friendly'. This collaborative approach is by definition a knowledge approach - it frames the construct whereby this research is based. It requires of either side to recognize the shortcomings in a mature manner, to acknowledge the gaps, to educate, to communicate, share their domain knowledge so that the cross pollination of proficiencies result in Business-savvy IT resources and IT-sawy Business resources emerge. A knowledge approach recognises knowledge management (KM) enablers such as leadership, culture, technology and measurements that act in a dynamic relationship with KM processes, namely, creating, identifying, collecting, adapting, organizing, applying, and sharing. Enabling a knowledge approach is a worthy goal of sharing, of collaborating by blending of Business-IT experiences in a cauldron of disciplines and expertise to achieve improvements and to add value to the objective of narrowing the gap between Business and IT. This research is developed to: • Investigate the extent of knowledge sharing in and across Business and IT, with a view of assessing its impact on the Business IT gap. • Assess ~ demographics (personal or situational) predispose Business and IT to sharing knowledge. • Establish if domain knowledge of the respective groups per se influences the gap between Business and IT. KM, although relatively youthful, is entering its fourth generation with evidence of two paradigms emerging - that of mainstream thinking and that of the complex adaptive system theory. This research uses pertinent and relevant extracts from both paradigms appropriate to gain an improved understanding and an informed opinion in responding to narrowing the gap. The research shows that both Business and IT evidence a strong willingness to share knowledge and both groups overwhelmingly acknowledge the value of sharing. Two distinct groups of knowledge sharers emerge, a proactive opportunistic group and a large reactive 'after-stimulus' group. The importance of domain knowledge in transcending mediocrity becomes evident in narrowing the gap between Business and IT. The research further demonstrates that there is no strongly distinct affiliation between demographics (personal or situational) and knowledge sharing. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die koste en inspanning om belyning tussen sakebelange en IT (inligtingstegnologie) te bereik, is alreeds die afgelope 15 jaar 'n kopseer vir bestuurshoofde. Die Gartner EXP CIO opname van 2005 en 2006 toon dat die top drie bestuursprioriteite vir die CIO geskuif het vanaf sekuriteitsbreuke en onderbrekings in sakebelange na: • die daarstelling van raakvlakke tussen sakebelange en IT-strategiee, • die ontwikkeling van besigheidsvaardighede in die IT -organisasie, en • die daarstelling van organisatoriese groei. Volgens Gartner se opname is die top drie hindernisse vir die belyning en groei van 'n organisasie as volg: • Die ondememing weet nie wat hulle wil he nie. • Daar is nie samewerking tussen die onderneming se professionele persona en IT nie. • Besigheidsleiers gebruik tegnologie om die onderneming se probleme te verskalk. Ander studies het op Gartner se Iys van drie hindernisse uitgebrei en die volgende bygevoeg: • ondoeltreffende kommunikasie, • 'n gebrek aan insig in ander se perspektief, en • 'n gebrek aan en/of ontydige betrokkenheid. Om die verhouding tussen sakebelange en IT te verbeter, sal organisasies aanhou om strategies te beplan en navorsers sal voortgaan om te skryf oor die belyning en oorbrugging van die gaping. Baie van die literatuur oor belyning fokus op die verbetering van kennis van apparatuur, inligtingstelsels en infrastruktuur of benadruk die verbetering van die onderneming. Dit is onwaarskynlik dat hierdie ontwykende doel met 'n eksklusiewe silo-mentaliteit deur IT of die onderneming in afsondering bereik sal word. 'n Alternatiewe benadering is om hierdie gaping van albei kante te probeer oorbrug: Die onderneming moet meer 'IT-vriendelik' raak en IT moet meer 'besigheidsvriendelik' raak. Hierdie samewerkingsbenadering is per definisie 'n kennisbestuurs- (KB)benadering - dit beklemtoon die raamwerk waarop hierdie navorsing gebaseer is. Dit is nodig dat albei kante die tekortkominge op 'n bekwame manier herken en die gapings erken. Opleiding, kommunikasie en die deel van kennis deur die kruisbestuiwing van kundigheid sal lei tot 'besigheid-vindingryke-IT-persone' en 'IT-vindingryke-besigheidspersone'. 'n Kennisgebaseerde benadering herken ondersteunende faktore vir KB soos leierskap, kultuur, tegnologie en maatstawwe om in 'n dinamiese verhouding met die KB-proses te staan; naamlik skepping, identifisering, versameling, aanpassing, organisering, toepassing en verspreiding. Die daarstelling van 'n KB-benadering is 'n verdienstelike doel om die vermenging van sakebelange-IT -ondervinding in 'n kookpot van dissiplines en ondervinding te ondersteun ten einde tot die vernouing van die gaping tussen sakebelange en IT by te dra. Hierdie navorsing is ontwikkel om: • ondersoek in te stel na die omvang van kundigheidsverdeling tussen sake belange en IT met 'n bepaling van die impak (indien enige) op die sakebelange-IT-gaping, • te bepaal of demografiese faktore (persoonlik en situasioneel) impakteer op die ingesteldheid van sakebelange en IT om kundigheid te deel, en • te bepaal of domeinkundigheid van die onderskeie groepe 'n invloed het op die gaping tussen sakebelange en IT. KB, alhoewel nog in sy kinderskoene, is alreeds in sy vierde generasie met 'n groeiende bewuswording van twee paradigmas, naamlik hoofstroomdenke en die meer komplekse aanpasbare stelselteorie ("adaptive system theory"). Hierdie navorsing gebruik toepaslike uittreksels uit albei paradigmas om 'n hoer vlak van insig te bereik en 'n ingeligte opinie te vorm ten einde 'n bydrae te maak tot die vernouing van die gaping. Die navorsing toon dat sakebelange sowel as IT 'n sterk gewilligheid toon om kennis te deel. Albei groepe het 'n ongelooflike erkenning van die waarde van die deel van kennis. Twee duidelike groepe van kennisverdeling bestaan, naamlik 'n pro-aktiewe opportunistiese groep en 'n grootliks reaktiewe 'na-'n-insentief-groep. Die belangrikheid van omgewingskennis in oortreffende middelmatigheid word sigbaar in die vernouing van die gaping tussen sakebelange en IT. Die navorsing toon verder dat daar geen sterk verwantskap tussen die onderskeie demografiese faktore (persoonlik en situasioneel) en kennisverdeling is nie.